Page 142 of I Got You

“Last night was it for me.” I rest my hand on Shane’s thigh, and his quickly covers mine. “It was a blast, but I’m meant to be at home with the kids and this guy as much as possible with his crazy schedule. Plus, I really like teaching.”

Danny sits back and puts his arm around his girlfriend. It’s nice to see him and not feel…anything anymore. I’m happy for him. He’s worked hard to get to where he is, but what happened between us is the past, and I see now that he wasn’t my future. Not even close.

Halftime begins, and after a minute, Danny leans forward, looking at us. “I don’t know if you’re aware, but Shane’s jersey is also trending as the latest fashion statement.”

Shane rolls his eyes. “Great, just what I need. A bunch of teen girls wearing my name and number.”

I bump his shoulder. “What’re a few more stalkers, Grizz?”

He smirks and bumps my knee with his as Danny stands. “Well, we’re going to get some food.”

I want to laugh because I know he’s going to see who else he might run into and make connections with. It’s the name of the game.

“If I don’t see you, thank you for everything.” He holds out his arms for a hug, and I stand to return it. “If anything comes of this, I’m convinced it’s because of you. You were unbelievable. You have such an amazing gift, so don’t let it die.”

He releases me, and I take a step back. “Thanks. If I ever open a studio, you’ll have to stop by and send all the girls into a tizzy. Good luck with everything. If you tour and end up in the Denver area, hit me up.”

He nods, takes off back up the stairs, and I return to my seat.

Shane turns to look at me. “I didn’t have a chance to tell you last night, but you were incredible. I’ve never seen anything like that. Every rave review is well deserved, Maggie. You blew my mind.”

I smile. “Yeah?”

“Yeah. Are you sure you’re good with being done if this thing moves forward?”

I rest my head on his shoulder. “Yeah. I’m good. I’m ready to see what’s next.” I pull back and cup his face with my hands. “That was my dream when I didn’t have anything else. Now, my dream is to see what you and I can build together.”

I kiss him softly and then slant my head, taking it deeper because, at the moment, I don’t care who’s around or watching. This is my dream. Sitting here with Shane, talking about our future. The future we’re going to figure out together. What I know is, whatever it brings, we’ve got each other.

Chapter 59

SHANE

I pull my truck into the garage, so happy to be home. I feel like I’ve been riding a tornado for the last two weeks.

When Maggie and I got home from New York, things picked up at lightning speed. We jumped into Christmas, which was the first time I’d ever celebrated the holiday, complete with a Christmas Eve service and family meal. Given I have so much to be grateful for this year, the holiday took on a new meaning.

Christmas morning started at five AM and was filled with joy and laughter beyond anything I’ve ever experienced. Maggie sitting between my legs and wrapped in my arms while we watched the kids open their gifts was all I could’ve asked for. Watching Teddy open the twenty boxes we wrapped inside each other was too good not to rank high on the list, and I know to be on the lookout next year for retaliation.

The following day, we surprised the kids and took them to the shelter to pick out a puppy. After stopping at every cage and examining every dog, we walked out with a middle aged mutt.

Gidget, who looks to be part Australian Shepherd with one blue eye and one brown, is the freaking smartest dog, and Maggie and I have no idea how we got so lucky. No housebreaking, no whining, and she herds the kids around the house. It’s like she understands what we say and has made our lives easier rather than the additional chaos we were expecting.

As a boy, I could only dream of having a dog, and so far, she seems to have taken to me. She’s protective of the kids, but when I’m home, she’s at my feet. Makes me wonder if her former master was male and I remind her of someone, or if she somehow knows I understand what it feels like to be left.

I grab my bag and close the garage door, stepping inside to find Gidget waiting with her tail wagging. I drop my stuff and reach down to rub her head.

The house is dark, with the TV lighting the living room. Maggie looks up from the couch and smiles as I lean down to kiss her. The kids are scattered around the room, watching a movie while the fire crackles in the fireplace.

“Hurry up, shower, and come tell me about the game.”

I kiss her again and head to our room to shower. I feel like I’ve been gone so much the past few weeks with playoffs in full swing, and missing Maggie has been a constant state.

When I return to the couch, she moves over so I can take my place in the corner. She throws her legs over mine, then adds her blanket on top.

“So, how does it feel to be heading to Miami?” She rests against me as I put my arm around her, bringing her close.

“Really good. Everyone has worked so hard for this, and it’s paid off. The next few weeks are going to be hectic.”

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